Weft carrier for a shuttleless loom

ABSTRACT

A shuttleless loom has a pair of weft carriers which reciprocate toward and away from each other from opposite sides of the shed to meet in the shed center and pass a weft filament from the feed carrier to the pickup carrier. Each carrier telescopes in a guide outside the shed which is provided with an actuating formation which serves to move a gripper element away from a retaining surface against the force of a spring. A latch pawl is provided in each carrier to hold the element away from the surface so long as the carrier is outside the shed in order to allow the feed carrier to grip a new weft filament and to allow the pickup carrier to release the thread it has drawn through the shed. The retaining surface of the feed carrier is spring-biased to pivot away from the clamping element when released, and the retaining surface of the pickup carrier grips the thread with a flap pressed by the clamping element against this surface.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,901,284

Riolet Aug. 26, 1975 1 1 WEFT CARRIER FOR A SHUTTLELESS PrimaryExaminer-Henry S. Jaudon ,()()M Attorney, Agent, or FirmKarl F. Ross;Herbert [75] Inventor: Christian Riolet, Saint-Chef, France Dubno [73]Assignee: Saurer Diederichs S.A., [57] ABSTRACT Bourgom-Jalheu (lsere),France A shuttleless loom has a pair of weft carriers which re- [22]Filed: Jan. 4, 1974 Appl. No.: 430,876

ciprocate toward and away from each other from opposite sides of theshed to meet in the shed center and pass a weft filament from the feedcarrier to the pickup carrier. Each carrier telescopes in a guideoutside the shed which is provided with an actuating formation whichserves to move a gripper element away from a retaining surface againstthe force of a spring. A latch pawl is provided in each carrier to holdthe element away from the surface so long as the carrier is outside theshed in order to allow the feed carrier to grip a new weft filament andto allow the pickup carrier to release the thread it has drawn throughthe shed. The retaining surface of the feed carrier is spring-biased topivot away from the clamping element when released, and the retainingsurface of the pickup carrier grips the thread with a flap pressed bythe clamping element against this surface.

10 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUGZBIQYS SIYKET 1 Or" 5 WEFTCARRIER FOR A SHU'ITLELESS LOOM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a shuttleless loom. More particularly thisinvention relates to a weft carrier for inserting a weft thread in theshed of a shuttleless loom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A type of shuttleless loom is known whichhas a pair of weft carriers each displaceable from a respective side ofthe shed into the shed center. The feed carrier grips and carries theend of a weft thread from one side of the shed to the shed center wherethis end is picked up by the takeup carrier and pulled to the other sideof the shed.

Each carrier is usually formed as a pair of telescoping elements theouter of which is fixed outside the shed and the inner of which can movein and out in the shed for each pick. Each of these inner elements isformed substantially as a needle with a gripper at its end. The gripperof the feed needle must be opened as it is pulled out of the shed so asto receive a weft-thread end, and the gripper of the takeup needle mustbe opened as this element reaches the shed end so as to release the weftthread, leaving the weft in the shed for consolidation in the weave bybattening.

This opening and closing of the grippers must take place at a veryprecise instant for proper weaving and they must not open other than atthis instant. In order to prevent dropping of weft threads it is usuallynecessary in such looms to operate at a low speed in order to insureproper engagement and release of the weft thread. It has also beensuggested to slow the operating cycle down just at the instant when thegrippers are to be actuated. Neither of these arrangements has provenuseful in practice, as both slow down production speed considerably.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved shuttleless loom.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved weftcarrier for a shuttleless loom.

A further object is the provision of feed and takeup carriers which canoperate at high speeds to insert a weft thread.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These objects are attained according to thisinvention in a shuttleless loom having weft-carrier needles eachprovided with a support having a retaining surfaceand a clamping elementpivotal on the support and engage able with the surface to grasp athread. A spring normally urges the element against the surface to holdthe thread. The carrier guide outside the shed is provided with anactuating formation which engages mechanism in the carrier adapted topivot the element away from the surface when the support is at the endof the shed. Both of the carriers are constituted in this fashion sothat when the feed carrier arrives at its end of the shed it opens topick up a new weft, and when the takeup carrier arrives at its end ofthe shed it opens to release the thread now lying in the shed.

In accordance with another feature of this invention the formation onthe outside guide is engaged by a roller on an end of one arm ofatwo-arm lever which constitutes the element and whose other arm isengageable with the surface. Means is provided which is operated by theactuating formation on the outer element to lock the element in the openposition so long as the carrier is outwardly beyond a predeterminedposition at the shed edge. Thus the gripper is locked open once itleaves the shed to allow a new thread to be laid in it or to allow thepreviously held thread to rest in the shed, whereupon the fabric can bebeaten up and the grippers advanced toward each other within a newlyformed shed again, with the feed carrier grasping the new thread and thetakeup carrier pulling it through.

This locking mechanism comprises, according to this invention, a pivotaltwo-arm lever having a laterally opening cutout in which is receivablean extension or end of the clamping element. The locking lever can rockbetween an unlocked position wherein the extension is free of thecutout, and a locked position with the extension received in the cutoutand the element immobilized. The ends of the two arms of this lever areactuated by a camming formation to move them between these positions,with the locking lever remaining in the locked position so long as thecarrier is beyond the predetermined change-over position.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention the supportcarries a pivotal abutment which constitutes the retaining surface andis engageable with the clamping element to grasp the weft filament, andwhich is spring-biased into a position tending to free the filament. Inthis manner as soon as the clamping element pivots back the abutmentwill pivot in the opposite direction to open widely. Thus the elementand the abutment meet flatly to grasp the filament.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features,and advantages of the present invention will become more readilyapparent from the following description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of the feed carrier according to thisinvention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sections taken along respective lines Il-II and IIIIIIof FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the feed carrierin two other positions;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the pickup carrier according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the carrier of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a section takenalong line VIII-VIII of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating the pickup carrier inanother position;

FIGS. 10, l1, and 12 are views similar to FIG. 2 showing another feedcarrier according to this invention; and

FIGS. 13 and 14 are side views of another pickup carrier in accordancewith the present invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION As shown in FIGS. l9 the weft inserter according tothe present invention comprises a feed carrier 1 having a head 2 andtelescopically slidable within a fixed outer guide tube 3, and a pickupcarrier 4 having a pickup hook 5 and telescopically slidable in a fixedguide tube 6. Both tubes 3 and 6 are formed with respective actuatingformations 7 and 7'.

The feed carrier 1 shown in FIGS. l-5 has a gripper lever 8 pivoted at 9and formed with an end 11 that engages in abutment 12 pivoted at 13. Acompression spring pivots the lever 8 clockwise into engagement with theabutment 12 and a hairpin spring 14 serves to pivot the abutment element12 in the same direction so as normally to pull the two apart to form anopen nip or mouth 46 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The spring force of spring 10 isgreater than that of spring 14 so that in the absence of external forcesthe two elements 11 and 12 lie together as a pair of gripping jaws(FIGS. 1 and 2). When the lever 8 is rotated counter-clockwise theelement 12 is freed as shown in FIG. 4 to spread these two jaws 11 and12 and form a thread-receiving notch 46.

The other arm 19 of two-arm lever 8 carries a roller 20 which isengageable with the camming formation 7 so that, when the feeder head 2is pulled back into the tube 3 as shown in FIG. 4, this roller 20 ispressed up to compress the spring 10 and rotate the lever 8counterclockwise. The other arm 19 of the lever 8 is provided with anextension 19 pivoted at 47 on the lever 8 and adjustable by means of aneccentric screw so as to allow changing of the position of the extension19' on the lever 8. The camming formation 7 here is formed with a shortleading inclined ramp 7a, a flat central region 7b parallel to the tube3 and the direction of displacement of the carrier 1, and another ramp7c to the other side of the portion 7b.

In addition a locking pawl 22 is pivoted at 21 on the carrier and has apair of arms 22a and 22b engageable with the formation 7. This lockingpawl 22 has a formation 23 in the form of a notch open toward the arm 19in which another formation, here an extreme end 24 of this arm 19 isengageable. Thus as the feed carrier 1 moves back in the tube 3 the arm22a is first cammed up, then the roller 20 as shown in FIG. 4.Subsequently the arm 22b is cammed up as shown in FIG. 5 to catch theend 24 in the cutout 23 so that even though the roller 20 is no longerin contact with the formation 7 the lever 8 is held in the openposition. The stretch 7b has a length L which is shorter than thedistance between the ends of arms 22a and 22b. In this manner the pawl22 is rocked first in one direction, then in the other. On displacementin the opposite direction the arm 22a is cammed up to free the end 24,and as shown in FIG. 2 this end 24 then lies against the pawl 22 toprevent it from catching and locking the lever 8.

The carrier head 2 as shown in FIG. 3 has a generallyrectangular-section housing 42 which has on its horizontal lower frontwall a point 43 and another point 44 on its upper horizontal front wall,which is slightly in back of the point 43. In addition the housing has aprofiled lateral extension which prevents the head 2 from catching onweft threads perpendicular to the telescoping parts 1 and 3.

The pickup head 5 shown in FIGS. 6-9 is basically a hook. The two-armlever 8' has an end 11 which presses a flap constitued by a shortleaf-spring element 15 carried on a pin 16 against a fixed portion 12(FIGS. 6 and 7). The weft thread indicated at T is caught between thejaws 11 and 12'. In all other respects the pickup carrier 5 issubstantially identical to the feed carrier 2, with primes being addedto the reference numerals where the structure is functionally the same.The pickup carrier 5 opens (FIG. 9) as it comes to the edge of the shedso as to release the weft thread in this shed.

FIGS. l0l2 show an arrangement substantially identical to that of FIGS.1-5 except that the lever 8 is provided with an eccentric screw 25"having an off-center roller gudgeon 34 engaging in a crescent-shapedhole 33 in a pawl 31 pivoted at 32. This pawl 31 is formed with twoflats 48 and 50 and a tooth 52. The camming formation 7" is formed withtwo teeth 30 so that when the carrier 2 slides into the tube 3 theseteeth 30 en gage and rotate the pawl 31 through substantially therebycamming up the roller 34" with the cam slot 33 that is not centered onthe pivot 32. A holding element 36 pivoted at 37 has a flat surface 49which lies when the nip 46 is closed against the surface 50 and whichlies when the nip 46 is opened against the flat 48. A resilientlycrushable body 38 lies between this element 36 and an ear 39 formed onthe housing of the carrier 1 so as to urge the surface 49 against thedisk 31 and hold this element against rotation from either of thepositions illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12. Thus the nip 46 will only openor close when the tooth 52 crosses over the teeth 30. This arrangementcan also be employed on the carrier 5 as shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 14 shows how a hairpin spring 40 can be used in place of thepivotal lever 36 and its biasing body 38.

I claim:

1. A weft carrier for inserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loomhaving a tubular carrier guide outside said shed operatively engageablewith said carrier and provided with an actuation formation, said carriercomprising:

a support telescopingly displaceable in said tubular guide into and outof said shed and having a retain ing surface;

a gripping element pivoted on said support and engageable with saidsurface for pinching a weft thread against said surface;

a spring between said support and said element biasing said elementagainst said surface; and

actuation means wholly carried in said support connected to said elementand engageable with said formation for pivoting said element againstsaid spring away from said surface on displacement of said support tothe end of said shed.

2. The carrier defined in claim 1 wherein said formation is a cammingramp and said actuation means includes a roller on said element andengageable with said ramp.

3. The carrier defined in claim 2, further comprising means on saidsupport for locking said gripping element in an open position spacedfrom said surface on displacement of said support from said shed withsaid actuation means in engagement with said formation.

4. The carrier defined in claim 3 wherein the locking means includes apivotal pawl engageable with said formation and with said element.

5. The carrier defined in claim 4 wherein said pawl is formed with acutout, said element having an end engageable in said cutout.

6. The carrier defined in claim 1 wherein said support is provided witha displaceable flap engageable with said surface, said element beingengageable with said flap to press same against said surface.

7. The carrier defined in claim 1 wherein said support comprises ahousing of generally rectangular section.

8. A weft carrier for inserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loomhaving a carrier guide outside said shed operatively engageable withsaid carrier and provided with an actuation formation, said carriercomprising:

a support displaceable on said guide into and out of said shed andhaving a retaining surface;

a gripping element pivoted on said support and engageable with saidsurface for pinching a weft thread against said surface, said formationbeing a camming ramp;

a spring between said support and said element biasing said elementagainst said surface;

actuation means on said support connected to said element and includinga roller engageable with said formation for pivoting said elementagainst said spring away from said surface on displacement of saidsupport to the end of said shed, said formation being at least one toothand said actuation means including a pivotal pawl at least partiallyformed as a sector meshable with said tooth.

9. A weft carrier for inserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loomhaving a carrier guide outside said shed operatively engageable withsaid carrier and provided with an actuation formation, said carriercomprising:

a support displaceable on said guide into and out of said shed andhaving a retaining surface, said formation being a camming ramp;

a gripping element pivoted on said support and engageable with saidsurface for pinching a weft thread against said surface;

a spring between said support and said element biasing said elementagainst said surface;

actuation means on said support and including a roller mounted on saidelement and engageable with said ramp for pivoting said element againstsaid spring away from said surface on displacement of said support tothe end of said shed; and

means on said support including a pivotal pawl engageable with said rampand with said element for locking said gripping element in an openposition spaced from said surface on displacement of said support fromsaid shed with said actuation means in engagement with said formation,said pawl being displaceable between a locking position securing saidelement in said open position and an unlocking position permittingpivoting of said element, said carrier further comprising resilientbiasing means for releasably holding said pawl in said locking andunlocking positions.

10. A weft carrier for inserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loomhaving a carrier guide outside said shed operatively engageable withsaid carrier and provided with an actuation formation, said carriercomprising:

a support displaceable on said guide into and out of said shed andhaving a retaining surface;

a gripping element pivoted on said support and engageable with saidsurface for pinching a weft thread against said surface;

a spring between said support and said element biasing said elementagainst said surface;

actuation means on said support connected to said element and engageablewith said formation for pivoting said element against said spring awayfrom said surface on displacement of said support to the end of saidshed, said support being provided with a pivotal abutment constitutingsaid surface, said carrier further comprising spring means forresiliently biasing said abutment away from said element.

1. A weft carrier for inserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loomhaving a tubular carrier guide outside said shed operatively engageablewith said carrier and provided with an actuation formation, said carriercomprising: a support telescopingly displaceable in said tubular guideinto and out of said shed and having a retaining surface; a grippingelement pivoted on said support and engageable with said surface forpinching a weft thread against said surface; a spring between saidsupport and said element biasing said element against said surface; andactuation means wholly carried in said support connected to said elementand engageable with said formation for pivoting said element againstsaid spring away from said surface on displacement of said support tothe end of said shed.
 2. The carrier defined in claim 1 wherein saidformation is a camming ramp and said actuation means includes a rolleron said element and engageable with said ramp.
 3. The carrier defined inclaim 2, further comprising means on said support for locking saidgripping element in an open position spaced from said surface ondisplacement of said support from said shed with said actuation means inengagement with said formation.
 4. The carrier defined in claim 3wherein the locking means includes a pivotal pawl engageable with saidformation and with said element.
 5. The carrier defined in claim 4wherein said pawl is formed with a cutout, said element having an endengageable in said cutout.
 6. The carrier defined in claim 1 whereinsaid support is provided with a displaceable flap engageable with saidsurface, said element being engageable with said flap to press sameagainst said surface.
 7. The carrier defined in claim 1 wherein saidsupport comprises a housing of generally rectangular section.
 8. A weftcarrier for inserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loom having acarrier guide outside said shed operatively engageable with said carrierand provided with an actuation formation, said carrier comprising: asupport displaceable on said guide into and out of said shed and havinga retaining surface; a gripping element pivoted on said support andengageable with said surface for pinching a weft thread against saidsurface, said formation being a camming ramp; a spring between saidsupport and said element biasing said element against said surface;actuation means on said support connected to said element and includinga roller engageable with said formation for pivoting said elementagainst said spring away from said surface on displacement of saidsupport to the end of said shed, said formation being at least one toothand said actuation means including a pivotal pawl at least partiallyformed as a sector meshable with said tooth.
 9. A weft carrier forinserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loom having a carrier guideoutside said shed operatively engageable with said carrier and providedwith an actuation formation, said carrier comprising: a supportdisplaceable on said guide into and out of said shed and having aretaining surface, said formation being a camming ramp; a grippingelement pivoted on sAid support and engageable with said surface forpinching a weft thread against said surface; a spring between saidsupport and said element biasing said element against said surface;actuation means on said support and including a roller mounted on saidelement and engageable with said ramp for pivoting said element againstsaid spring away from said surface on displacement of said support tothe end of said shed; and means on said support including a pivotal pawlengageable with said ramp and with said element for locking saidgripping element in an open position spaced from said surface ondisplacement of said support from said shed with said actuation means inengagement with said formation, said pawl being displaceable between alocking position securing said element in said open position and anunlocking position permitting pivoting of said element, said carrierfurther comprising resilient biasing means for releasably holding saidpawl in said locking and unlocking positions.
 10. A weft carrier forinserting a weft in a shed of a shuttleless loom having a carrier guideoutside said shed operatively engageable with said carrier and providedwith an actuation formation, said carrier comprising: a supportdisplaceable on said guide into and out of said shed and having aretaining surface; a gripping element pivoted on said support andengageable with said surface for pinching a weft thread against saidsurface; a spring between said support and said element biasing saidelement against said surface; actuation means on said support connectedto said element and engageable with said formation for pivoting saidelement against said spring away from said surface on displacement ofsaid support to the end of said shed, said support being provided with apivotal abutment constituting said surface, said carrier furthercomprising spring means for resiliently biasing said abutment away fromsaid element.